Circus Tent
To circumvent the elements
You could erect a circus tent
But if you should express dissent
Or slowly grow more discontent
Then you should know
That you can go
Inside a convent
All aglow
With candles
Lighting your descent
Into a basement dank and bent
With corners that disorient
But then again
You might enjoy
Umbrellas made of corduroy
That block the rain to some extent
At least a good nineteen percent
In which case you’ll want to augment
With your initial circus tent
So do try to remain content
You could erect a circus tent
But if you should express dissent
Or slowly grow more discontent
Then you should know
That you can go
Inside a convent
All aglow
With candles
Lighting your descent
Into a basement dank and bent
With corners that disorient
But then again
You might enjoy
Umbrellas made of corduroy
That block the rain to some extent
At least a good nineteen percent
In which case you’ll want to augment
With your initial circus tent
So do try to remain content
This poem is copyright (©) Jenny Mattern 2025
About the Writer
Jenny Mattern
Jenny Mattern is a poet, a crafter of stories, and a cake-for-breakfast enthusiast living in Montana, USA, with her husband and children. She has had poems published in The Poetry Pea Anthology, Cold Moon Journal, The Solitary Daisy, and The Dirigible Balloon. She also writes middle-grade novels and is represented by Nicole Eisenbraun at Ginger Clark Literary Agency.
